USGS Water-Year Summary 2024

06440200 SOUTH FORK BAD RIVER NEAR COTTONWOOD, SD (Formerly published as Buffalo Creek near Cottonwood)

LOCATION - Lat 43°58'08.5", long 101°46'00.5" referenced to North American Datum of 1927, in NE 1/4 SW 1/4 SE 1/4 sec.07, T.1 S., R.20 E., Jackson County, SD, Hydrologic Unit 10140102, on right bank at downstream side of bridge on former U.S. Highway 16, 1.0 mi above confluence with Cottonwood Creek, and 7.0 mi east of Cottonwood.

DRAINAGE AREA - 257 mi².

REVISIONS HISTORY - WDR SD-10-1: Drainage area.

SURFACE-WATER RECORDS

PERIOD OF RECORD - October 1954 to September 1960 (discharge measurements only), October 1988 to current year.

GAGE - Water-stage recorder and crest-stage gage. Datum of gage is 2,244.59 ft above North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD88). Prior to conversion to NAVD 88 datum was published as 2,242.96 ft above NGVD of 1929. October 1954 to September 1960, nonrecording gage at same site at different datum.

REMARKS - Accuracy of records for water years prior to 2014 are noted in the individual Annual Data Reports for those water years. For water years 2014 onward, records good except for May 9-11, 2014, Aug. 30-Sept. 4, 2019, Sept. 27, 2019 to April 13, 2020, and Nov. 16, 2021 to Dec. 6, 2023, which are fair and estimated discharges, which are poor, unless otherwise noted. Satellite data-collection platform at station.

EXTREMES FOR PERIOD OF RECORD - Minimum daily discharge, 0.00 ft³/s, Oct. 2, 1988, no flow for many days in most years.